Plug-In 2008: Volt Battery Testing in Malibu Mule

General Motors VP of Global Program Management, Jon Lauckner, gave a quick update on the Volt, GM’s plug-in vehicle, at the Plug-In 2008 conference Tuesday morning. Lauckner showed off several video clips of the Volt technology — including the lithium ion battery — being tested in the body of a white 3-year-old Malibu “mule” (a current vehicle modified with the systems of new models). Lauckner touted the progress of the lithium ion battery technology out of lab tests into mule vehicle testing.

Back in April photos of Malibu mules with Volt technology started to appear on sites like Autoblog Green. GM says the Malibu is being used because it’s of a similar size as the Volt, and the setup is a good way to see how the company’s 400-pound battery will be balanced on the road.

Lauckner said hundreds of members of the Volt team are working around the clock to get GMs plug-in into production in 2010. Also this morning GM announced that it would prep the market for its Volt by working with a consortium of over 30 utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute.